Mushroom Sweet Potato Soup

03 Feb Mushroom Sweet Potato Soup

A delicious, fragrant, vegan Thai coconut soup prepared with sweet potato and kale. An easier, weeknight-friendly, and vegetarian rendition on Tom Kha Gai. It is an incredible representation of Asian cuisine. Perfect harmony and balance of flavor: heat, sweet, sour, acid, and salt.

INGREDIENTS

2 stalks lemongrass
1 teaspoon raw virgin coconut oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
12 ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 (14 ounces) cans full-fat coconut milk (*Aroy-D brand is my absolute favorite, and Whole Foods 365 Organic is good too)
1 and 1/2 cups water (up to 3 cups for a lighter broth)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large sweet potato, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and diced
1 small bunch cilantro, stems diced (1/2 cup), leaves chopped
zest and juice of 2 limes
tamari (or soy sauce), for seasoning (optional)
4 cups loosely packed kale, chopped
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
sliced red chile peppers, serrano peppers, or sriracha

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the lemongrass by cutting off the root end and the tough upper stem of the stalks. Smash the stalks with a rolling pin (*a tenderizer or the side of a wide chef’s knife also works!) to loosen the layers. Pull off the thick outer layers and dice the inner, tender parts. This should yield about 1/4 cup chopped lemongrass. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until softened.
3. Stir in the lemongrass, coconut milk, 1 and 1/2 cups water, ginger, garlic, sweet potato, jalapeño, and cilantro stems. If you prefer a lighter broth, add up to 1 and 1/2 cups more water. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Add the lime zest and juice. Taste, then add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of salt, if desired, and tamari (or soy sauce), if using. Add the chopped kale and simmer just until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro leaves just before serving.
5. Serve with the rice, fresh mint, cilantro, and chile peppers, if using, and tamari (or soy sauce) on the side.